State based synchronization

Abstract

A system for synchronization whereby metadata repository maintains information regarding the history and status of data items in a data repository. Data items are associated with states and such states changes (e.g. increment) in response to changes to the data items. History statements associated with the same states describe the changes in a generic enough fashion that multiple data items may be associated with a single state (e.g. if multiple data items share a common history such as that they were all edited by a user on the same device). The history repository is synchronized with other history repositories so as to reflect the states of data items on multiple devices. The synchronized history stores are used during synchronization to identify and resolve data conflicts through ancestry of data item history.

Description

COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING [0001] The following table shows the 22 source code files that are provided as computer program listing on a compact disc in read only format and are hereby incorporated by reference. TABLE 1Computer Program Listing AppendixTimeDate Last ModifiedCreatedBytesName02 / 01 / 200412:14p0typeattributes.dict01 / 25 / 200407:22p436clientnametransformer.h01 / 25 / 200407:33p1,255clientnametransformer.m03 / 11 / 200412:09a1,819extras.h03 / 10 / 200411:56p7,196extras.m03 / 10 / 200411:25p2,018mydocument.h03 / 11 / 200412:21a21,579mydocument.m03 / 10 / 200411:08p1,015myobject.h03 / 10 / 200411:08p6,987myobject.m03 / 10 / 200411:08p869myobjectview.h03 / 10 / 200411:47p6,946myobjectview.m02 / 21 / 200402:33p443syncsim.h03 / 08 / 200408:38a4,210syncsim.m05 / 18 / 200409:57a<DIR>syncsim.xcode01 / 01 / 160112:00a<DIR>01 / 01 / 160112:00a<DIR>03 / 11 / 200412:26a133,166bserlet.pbxuser03 / 09 / 200409:24a14,568bserlet0.pbxuser02 / 01 / 200402:29p53,220gjf.pbxuser03 / 11 / 200412:26a15,359project.pbxproj03 / 11 / 200412:14a4,537tuple.h03 / 11 / ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The embodiments described herein relate to the use of history information as an aid to synchronization systems and methods. In a very simple embodiment, history information is as little as generation count information that. is retained on a per datum basis (datum, in this

Problems solved by technology

A problem occurs in the described synchronization process when corresponding data is changed on both the desktop and the portable.

In the current art, there is generally no elegant way to resolve this conflict with certainty.

Unfortunately, even the user may not remember which piece of data is correct.

The problem is exacerbated if there are more than two devices carrying the corresponding data sets.

Unfortunately, in the prior art, we once again have no elegant solution for determining the correct result with certainty.

Furthermore, even if we could determine the correct result at this time (e.g. by the user, who remembers), we may be unable to stop the system from having the same problem again the next time portable 110 is synchronized.

That generalization is that, if peers may synchronize with each other 2 at a time, and a conflict arises there is no way to know if one of the peers carries a more up-to-date data.

It is noteworthy, that a time stamp can not resolve the conflict with certainty.

This is because as a matter of practical human usage, if two corresponding data items have been changed over the past days or months, that doesn't necessarily mean that the second change is correct.

While some prior art systems attempt to use meta-data to accomplish these goals, none fully succeeds.

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